Plane Takes Off with Ominous Funnel Cloud Spinning Nearby

Yesterday, as a Ryanair flight departed from the East Midlands Airport in England, a cloud resembling a tornado swirled closely behind.

Yesterday, as a Ryanair flight departed from the East Midlands Airport in England, a cloud resembling a tornado swirled closely behind. Photographer Russ Greenwell captured an eerie photograph of the storm brewing in the background. However, authorities have not yet confirmed if the menacing funnel was a cyclone. In any case, a strong cold front that swept through England is said to have caused this possible tornado.

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Weather experts have not yet pinpointed how close the plane was to the whirlwind, but they've speculated it could've been as little as half a mile away with plenty of potential to cause serious damage. "The clouds at the time produced heavy downpours and were definitely capable of producing thunderstorms," said Mark Paquette an AccuWeather.com meteorologist. Conditions were definitely not safe for the plane to take off in. "At a low elevation, a downdraft could push the plane back into the ground and cause a crash," Paquette continued.

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Fortunately, passengers safely landed at their final destination in Spain—and didn't see the photo while still in-flight.